A Message from NORML’s New Board Chair

As the newly elected Chair of the NORML Board, I am honored to reflect on what Black History Month means to this organization and to the broader cannabis legalization movement. In our fight for consumer rights and personal freedoms, NORML recognizes the deep, undeniable connection between the experiences of Black communities and the evolution of cannabis policy in this country. We are committed to championing a legalization framework that is inclusive, equitable, and just—not only in the United States but worldwide.

For generations, millions of people of African descent have fought for their lives against the devastating consequences of America’s War on Drugs. As a lifelong New Yorker and a criminal defense attorney, I have witnessed firsthand how marijuana prohibition has disproportionately harmed Black Americans. From the well-documented racial disparities in cannabis arrests—where Black individuals are nearly four times more likely than their white counterparts to be arrested for simple possession—to the economic and social barriers that keep them ensnared in the criminal justice system, systemic racism has long fueled the demonization of this plant.

History leaves no doubt. President Richard Nixon’s Controlled Substances Act of 1970 was not just about drugs—it was a calculated tool to suppress communities of color. In the decades since, the disproportionate arrests, prosecutions, and incarcerations of Black individuals have driven mass incarceration at an alarming rate, stripping countless African Americans of fundamental rights and opportunities, from voting and housing to employment and financial security.

Yet, the cannabis legalization movement has endured—led by those who refuse to accept these injustices. I have had the privilege of working alongside trailblazing advocates who have fought for policy reforms, medical experts dismantling outdated stigmas, entrepreneurs striving to build equity in the industry, and, most importantly, those who remind us every day that too many of our brothers and sisters remain behind bars, still waiting for justice.

NORML is a diverse coalition, united by a shared vision: universal access to safe, responsible cannabis use. As we recognize Black History Month, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to rectifying the harms of prohibition. True cannabis freedom in America cannot exist until the communities most affected by these injustices are made whole. We remain steadfast in advancing legalization policies that deliver social, economic, and health benefits to those who have suffered the most—and we will not stop until justice is fully realized.

– Joseph Bondy, Chair, NORML Board of Directors